He was born in Fort Dodge; educated in Fort Dodge schools, and graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1973. He worked as an auto mechanic in Fort Dodge, and served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1976-1979. He then returned to Fort Dodge, where he continued working as an auto mechanic. He moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1985. He worked as an auto mechanic there.